The initiation process of the main hero of the novel Le rivage des Syrtes is typical by the search of a higher knowledge of the universe and of its sense manifested beyond visible. Hence, the main hero has to deal with a succession of hardships and with limits to be reached and crossed in order to access to an ontological revelation. The aim of the present article is to demonstrate how reaching of the border and passing of a forbidden threshold represent an effect catalyst in the initiation process.